First Indian American Miss America to visit Macy’s May 28

Nina Davuluri, the first Indian American Miss USA. (Matt Boyd Photography)

What’s a beauty queen’s childhood like? For Nina Davuluri, the first Miss America of Indian descent, growing up in Syracuse, New York was, at times, confusing. “In India, the more fair-skinned you are, the more beautiful you’re considered, so my family would say, ‘Don’t go out in the sun. You’re going to get too tan!’” she recalls.”But when I would go to school, all my friends and peers and teachers would say, ‘You’re so tan! You have such beautiful skin tone!’

“I felt so conflicted,” she says.

Since winning the Miss America pageant in September, Davuluri, now 25, has been sharing her platform of “diversity through cultural competency.” Of her childhood memories, she reflects, “I’ve been able to talk about my experience from both sides and just send the message to be comfortable in your own skin, whatever that may be.”

Davuluri has teamed up with Macy’s to take her cultural awareness initiative on the road during May, to mark Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. She’ll be at Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco on May 28, part of a cross-country tour with Macys.

The evening visit includes a tour of the store and Q&A session with Davuluri. Guests who make a Macy’s purchase of $25 or more will also have the opportunity to have a picture taken with her.
“I feel that there a are a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions about my culture and heritage, so I think that simply talking about it and being open to ask questions and answer questions is the key to communication,” she says.

SF Unzipped was curious how Davuluri maintains her camera-ready looks with such a grueling travel schedule. “I always keep makeup remover wipes with me, the hydrating kind. I’ll do a quick swipe before and after my flight to keep my skin hydrated,” she notes, adding that for her, a Tempur-pedic neck pillow is a beauty sleep must-have.

Beyond her cultural diversity campaign, Davuluri wants to be known as the Miss America who stayed true to herself, something she’s been passionate about since she set out on the pageant trail. “I can’t tell you how many people said to me, ‘Nina, if you’re really serious about winning Miss New York or Miss America, change your talent because Bollywood [dance] will never win,’ ” she says.

Davuluri refused to budge. “What it came down to was that I knew if I was going to have this title and advocate for my platform, it wouldn’t have meant as much if I didn’t do the talent that was part of who I was and stay true to myself.”
Clearly, this is a Miss America with her crown on straight and her heels planted firmly in the ground.